Coalition launches
people’s initiative to get rid of the pork barrel system and a massive
grassroots educational campaign
Press Release
October 9, 2013
CEBU CITY – The Cebu
Coalition Against the Pork Barrel System composed of more than seventy
(70) organizations from interfaith, academic, business and civil
society organizations today launches a People’s Initiative to propose
new legislation to get rid of the pork barrel systemically from the
country’s laws.
The proposed legislation is worded as follows:
IT IS HEREBY DECLARED
UNLAWFUL FOR ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO HAVE OR DEMAND ANY ALLOCATION
IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR TO MAKE ANY INSERTION IN THE
PROPOSED NATIONAL BUDGET OR THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR TO
INTERFERE OR INTERVENE IN THE LAWFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY PROVISION
OF THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT BY ANY IMPLEMENTING AGENCY OR
OFFICE.
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
AND ALL DEPARTMENTS IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ARE FURTHER PROHIBITED
FROM GIVING OR PROVIDING A MEMBER OF CONGRESS ANY ALLOCATION IN THE
GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR ALLOWING ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO MAKE
ANY INSERTION IN THE NATIONAL BUDGET OR THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS
ACT.
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
AND ALL DEPARTMENTS IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ARE FURTHER PROHIBITED
FROM MAKING ANY EXPENDITURE, USE OR DISPOSITION OF PUBLIC FUNDS WHICH
IS NOT PROVIDED IN OR CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT.
HOWEVER, NOTHING IN THIS ACT
SHALL DIMINISH THE LAWFUL EXERCISE OF THE POWER OF APPRORIATION AND
OVERSIGHT BY CONGRESS.
ALL LAWS WHICH ARE
INCONSISTENT WITH THE FOREGOING ARE HEREBY REPEALED AND ANY ACT WHICH
IS CONTRARY TO OR IN CIRCUMVENTION OF THE FOREGOING IS HEREBY DECLARED
NULL AND VOID.
The 1987 Constitution
requires that the Coalition must compile at least 10% of the national
registered voters list, approximately numbering 52 Million, or a
compilation of at least 5.2 million vetted, screened, viable voters
supporting the Initiative. In addition, we will also need to have a
minimum of at least 3% of all the registered voters in each of the
country’s 234 legislative districts.
In order to achieve these
numbers, a massive, extensive and thorough campaign of compiling
vetted voters’ signatures will be implemented initially through each
parish in each of the 86 dioceses around the country. In addition,
each school, college, and/or university in every city, town, province
and region will be canvassed. Finally, the Coalition will count
heavily on the many employees of allied business groups, chambers and
companies.
Supporting this massive
campaign will be a parallel effort of education and information
dissemination by parish, social sector, school district, barangay,
city, town, and province. There will be primers on the pork barrel
system, how it negatively affects all of us, the current scam, and
alternatives to the current system.
The Initiative and Education
campaigns will be led and conducted by the Coalition’s 70+
organizations utilizing their varied and many strengths. They will be
complemented with the various partners and allies of each of these 70
organizations. With the help of the Church, School and Business
sectors, we are confident that we will surpass the constitutional
requirements.
The detailed plans for both
the People’s Initiative and Education campaigns will be finalized in a
National Consultative Meeting to be held on November 9, 2013 at the
Betania Retreat House, Nivel Hills, Cebu City.